Five Tips on Choosing the Right Garden Hose

As spring approaches it’s time to get back into “gardening mode”, and that means you need to start thinking about that all-important garden hose! You won’t find a shortage of hoses this time of year, as they will be readily available almost everywhere you shop. But which hose is the best hose for you? There are a plethora of varieties, attributes, and prices to choose from, so figuring out which hose fits you can be a daunting task. We’ve put together some tips below that hopefully will make buying your hose just a little less painful…

Things to Keep in Mind

Budget: Good hoses can get quite pricy, so have a budget in mind

Application: Washing your car, gardening, washing your boat, etc…

Attributes: Lightweight, no-kink, maximum flow, all weather, etc…

Tip #1: Length

Think about what length and inside diameter (ID) would fit you best. Garden hoses generally come 4 lengths 25, 50 75, and 100 feet. Length is obvious and this is where keeping in mind the application of the hose is important. Never assume that the longest hose is the best, longer hoses can get very expensive, heavy, kinky, or simply unmanageable. Also remember that the longer the hose the lower the pressure. That said if you’re simply washing your vehicle with the hose there’s no need to have a 100ft a 25ft or 50ft will suffice and the pressure will be sufficient. And remember you can always buy multiple sizes and connect them if need be.

Tip #2: Inside Diameter (ID)

When it comes to inside diameters 5/8 inch is the most common, but 1/2, 3/4, and 1 inch ID’s are also available. Obviously the larger the ID the more water will flow in less time, and with a smaller the ID less water will flow in the same period of time. So for example, if you are simply watering your containers a small ID like 5/8 inch would work for you, but for washing your car you might want the flow a 3/4 inch ID will provide.

Tip #3: Materials

There are three general materials the typical garden hose can be made of, plastic (PVC), rubber or plastic/rubber combination. Hoses made from PVC tend to be lightweight and very manageable however they are prone to kinking, and tend to freeze and crack in very cold temperatures and dry rot in very warm temperatures. PVC hoses are usually on the lower end of the cost scale. Rubber hose are quite the opposite. Rubber hoses offer better resistance to kinking and extreme weather conditions, but are extremely heavy and tend to be on the higher end of the cost scale. And finally, plastic/rubber blended hoses attempt to offer the best of both worlds. Blended hoses should offer a medium weight hose not quite as light as PVC, with similar durability of rubber hoses. Blended hoses are usually midrange when it comes to costs.

Tip #4: Construction

Garden hoses are constructed of layers of materials called “plies”. Obviously, the more plies a hose has the more durable the hose, but as plies increase so does weight. So most lightweight PVC hoses are anywhere from one to three plies, and rubber hoses can come up to 6 plies. Some hoses have a woven nylon ply for extra reinforcement. Keep in mind the more plies a hose has the more durable the hose is, but they can get very expensive.

Tip #5: Fittings or Couplings

There are two fittings at each end of a garden hose, one “female” that connects to the spigot and one “male” that connects to the various accessories available i.e. spray nozzle. Fittings are most commonly constructed of brass however, may also be available in plastic, in fact most replacement fittings are made from plastic. Brass fittings may be stamped brass or machined brass. In short machined brass fitting are much more durable and usually wrench friendly, where stamped brass fittings are much less durable, not wrench friendly, and prone to cracks & leaks. Obviously your stamped brass fittings are going to be at the top of the cost scale, and stamped brass fittings toward the bottom.

***I think I’ll do a more in depth post on the construction of fittings as it can be quite important especially depending on the application.

TUFF GUARD The Perfect Garden Hose offers all of the desirable attributes from rubber, PVC, and blended hoses in one hose. The braided nylon layer & patented outer helix construction prevents leaks, bulges, and bursting while offering a smooth, non-marking, outer coat. The TPE core offers an ultra-lightweight, all weather, and extra flexible hose, that is more durable & manageable! Our internally expanded, maximum flow, machined brass fittings are wrench friendly & crush resistant. The Perfect Garden hose is a revolution in a very stagnant industry.